Legal fees: how much do lawyers pay abroad

In all countries, advocates pay contributions to ensure the implementation of bar self-government in one way or another. Sometimes they are higher, sometimes lower. Sometimes it depends on the region or the length of service of the advocate. Some bar associations introduce the possibility of installments.

The UNBA's foreign representatives provided general information on the payment of the advocate's fee in different countries.

Luxembourg, Austria, Ireland and Canada are among the most «expensive» jurisdictions.

For example, in the smallest country in Europe, the annual bar fee is EUR 1.8 thousand (UAH 74.8 thousand, hereinafter all national currencies are converted into UAH as of the date of publication of this article for easier comparison). To have the pleasure of starting their working day with aromatic Viennese coffee, local lawyers pay 1.6 thousand euros (66.8 thousand UAH) annually.

On the Emerald Isle, the fees are even higher. Barristers in Ireland have to pay 2 thousand euros (83.1 thousand UAH) in the first year of practice alone. And this amount gradually increases with the length of service. Thus, those who have been practicing for more than ten years will have to spend as much as 6 thousand euros (249.4 thousand UAH) annually!

In the province of Alberta (Canada), the annual fee is 79.0 thousand UAH. For non-practicing attorneys who are active members of the self-government, as well as those who are partially employed members of the association, a reduced amount of 39.5 thousand is established. It amounts to UAH 6.9 thousand per year.

Membership fees for lawyers in Cyprus start at 68 euros (2.8 thousand) and gradually increase to 171 euros (7.1 thousand) when the experience crosses the 10-year anniversary.

Many countries practice an increase in contributions with the growth of seniority. For example, in Portugal, young attorneys under 4 years of age pay 148 euros (6.2 thousand UAH). In the fifth and sixth year, the fee is already 247 euros (10.3 thousand hryvnias). And lawyers with more than six years of registration must pay 345 euros (14.4 thousand hryvnias) annually. The same amount is provided for pensioners with a license to practice law. Contributions can be paid not in one lump sum, but once a month. However, in this case, the annual contribution increases by 7.7%.

A similar approach to payment in installments is practiced in Hungary. There, the lawyer's fee, subject to full payment, is UAH 15.4 thousand. In case of quarterly payment, the fee increases to 17.2 thousand.

It is common practice to have different fees depending on the region of the country. Thus, in the United States, the fees vary by state and this year they amount to, for example, UAH 10.5 thousand in Florida, UAH 14.6 thousand in Illinois, and UAH 7.6 thousand in Maryland.

Spain has its own quotas for each college in a province or city. They range from UAH 7.2 thousand to UAH 15.2 thousand. It is noteworthy that contributions are also provided for non-practicing attorneys.

The amounts of attorneys' fees in Poland may also be interesting. They are paid there: in Warsaw - 15.0 thousand UAH per year; in Katowice - 16.0; in Wroclaw - 18.1; in Lublin - 17.5; in Gdansk - 20.4; in Krakow - 21.7.

It is worth mentioning that in Ukraine, the annual contribution to ensure the implementation of the bar self-government in 2024 is UAH 3028 (equivalent to EUR 72.8) for all attorneys practicing law.

It should be reminded that the obligation to pay the fee must be fulfilled by January 31, 2024 by transferring funds in two payments to the bank accounts of the bar self-government bodies according to the following distribution:

• 70% of the annual fee - to the current account of the Bar Council of the region;
• 30% of the annual fee - to the current account of the Ukrainian National Bar Association.

Advocates can either generate receipts for online payment of the fee in their personal account or directly in the «Payments» section of the UNBA website.

For more details, please follow the link.